I wouldn't even bother "caging" them. They are far from being feral and are just kittehs.

Feral cats will have nothing.. NOTHING.. to do with humans. And then they _might_ eat food from humans if no humans are around. Then they will eat the food when you are a good distance away. Then maybe if you are sitting just over there. This can take months to years.

Touching them.. maybe if they are eating after the months and weeks of acclimating them to your presence. Then maybe they will solicit a pet after weeks or months of trying (depends on if they are true ferals or just abandoned kittehs).

Itty kittens? Need human interaction. But on their terms. Hiding is natural. They will come out for food and to use the potty (if they have figured out what a potty is).

My 4 adults: come "out" when they are hungry, stop by after a potty break and when they just want snuggled. Some hide when not wanting those things, some find a spot and hang watching me. It changes day by day.

That pen? Will keep them in for about 3 seconds if they want out.

Kudos on giving them such a nice home, though! Toys, scratchers and food.. what kitteh wouldn't be happy?

Logged

"I feel sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." "It is so low, in fact, that Miss Manners feels sure you would not want to resort to it yourself, even in your own defense. We do not believe in retaliatory rudeness." Judith Martin

I think they're enjoying their playpen! They haven't attempted to escape since I moved the climber to the middle, which makes it just a leeeeetle bit too far for them to jump. I know that some day they'll be able to make the leap, but for now, they're pretty well contained. They are happily playing with all their toys, chasing each other up and down the climber. Looks like they're having fun!

My goal here is to get them used to the sounds, sights, and smells of being in the larger part of the house. I imagine it can be quite intimidating when you go from living in a 10x10 shed to a 10x10 bedroom, and then to a (seemingly) humongous space like my downstairs. I know they're probably going to hide at first, but I don't want them to! I want them to feel like they're at home down here. I hope it works!

So! Took the kitties into the vet today for their follow-up appointment (a re-check), and booster shots. Kitties got weighed, examined real good. Remarks all around at how "sturdy" Sissy Cat is, compared to the rather delicately statured Tiger Kitty.

Vet decides to re-examine Sissy, and guess what? We have a little tuxedo boy named Sissy. She said it happens surprisingly often. It's just so hard to tell with the wee ones sometimes...

Oddly, now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know that I've met any female cats with the really classic tuxedo patterning - ever one that I've ever encountered with the perfect four-white-socks and white only on the stomach/neck pattern has been male. The females have all had more splotchy/irregular white areas, even if they kind of generally conform to the the "tuxedo" outline.

It is! That's why our boy cat is named "Connie" . We found out during my DS's birthday party when my Gran said "Why did you name him that?", we said "Isn't it a girl?", and she said "Uh, no. You must not have checked recently because I can see his boy parts from here!" Haha!

In our defense he was only our 3rd kitten ever and the first boy we'd found so tiny, whereas Gran had raised many including a number of litters born in her own home.

We call our black and white girls the Tutones, Jacqueline and Kimberly. I'd show you pictures but Jackie will not pose until she grows her fur back! Mean Nana had her shaved due to persistent butt mats.